I was thinking about going the Ortho route in the far far future, but I think I might save up for a the T1 or HD800 to keep with my Valhalla.

I also really loved the HE-6 when I listened to them at a meet, but they were also paired with the liquid fire (which I'm sure I won't be getting/able to get/able to afford ever)

I'm floored by the HE-500s! The only thing that's missing is the more expansive soundstage of the HD650s. The lack of the mid-bass hump of the HD650s threw me for an hour or so, but the bass on the HE-500s is just so tight and controlled. The mids are creepy/good. Last night, I swear I spent the night in the recording studio with Sonic Youth - the instrument separation is unreal.

Comfort is less than the HD650 - these cans are substantial (read: heavy). It could just be that I've had them on for HOURS since I got them yesterday. I got to the grocery store about 3 hours later than I planned because I just couldn't stop listening to them. I have a small head though, so I wrapped a small towel around the top of the headband to make them ride a little higher on my ears. All that said, it's totally worth it for this sort of sound. The HD650 were great dynamics, but the way these particular Orthos present the sound is like nothing I've ever heard in my life.

I'm floored by the HE-500s! The only thing that's missing is the more expansive soundstage of the HD650s. The lack of the mid-bass hump of the HD650s threw me for an hour or so, but the bass on the HE-500s is just so tight and controlled. The mids are creepy/good. Last night, I swear I spent the night in the recording studio with Sonic Youth - the instrument separation is unreal.

Comfort is less than the HD650 - these cans are substantial (read: heavy). It could just be that I've had them on for HOURS since I got them yesterday. I got to the grocery store about 3 hours later than I planned because I just couldn't stop listening to them. I have a small head though, so I wrapped a small towel around the top of the headband to make them ride a little higher on my ears. All that said, it's totally worth it for this sort of sound. The HD650 were great dynamics, but the way these particular Orthos present the sound is like nothing I've ever heard in my life.

It is amazing when you get great sound and you realize how many hours have flown by in a listening session! Happens all the time with my 650's

Picked a set of these up a little over a month and have a Black Dragon Cable on them.

So far I couldnt be more pleased with these. I am actually liking them a lot more than I originally thought I would. I mainly bought them for when I wanted the laid back factor when listening to music, for instance when gaming I like to have music in the background but I dont want to be consontrating on the music and to tame some very badly recorded black metal. Well they excel very well for this and find myself listening to them more and more than just its original intended purpose.

I've narrowed it down to these. I've been reading, trying to gather impressions, but it's hard. Everything's scattered across different forums, different years, different comparisons, different headphones..... ARHHHHGGG!

Lyr

Pros: Tube amp, tons of power for future use (not a big deal.), price

Cons: Hybrid amp? too much power?

Valhalla

Pros: OTL amp, now rollable, price, pairs well?

Cons: limited tubes to roll? power for future headphones? (honestly not that big of a deal.) ranked lower, lack of opinion

WA6.

Pros: Tubes, sophia, looks, quality, pairs well?

Cons: Price, SET, lack of impressions with 650 that are current

I wish I could find someone that has/had all three with the 650 and could just say "Go with X for X reason."

I've narrowed it down to these. I've been reading, trying to gather impressions, but it's hard. Everything's scattered across different forums, different years, different comparisons, different headphones..... ARHHHHGGG!

Lyr

Pros: Tube amp, tons of power for future use (not a big deal.), price

Cons: Hybrid amp? too much power?

Valhalla

Pros: OTL amp, now rollable, price, pairs well?

Cons: limited tubes to roll? power for future headphones? (honestly not that big of a deal.) ranked lower, lack of opinion

WA6.

Pros: Tubes, sophia, looks, quality, pairs well?

Cons: Price, SET, lack of impressions with 650 that are current

I wish I could find someone that has/had all three with the 650 and could just say "Go with X for X reason."

This is where you throw in the music genre variables as well as personal listening tastes and personal physiology....Otherwise it is really simple....really.....um....Buy them all!!

Um.... lets see. I have (almost) every Dave Matthews live album ever released, and all the studio stuff. I would say that acoustic music makes up 75% of my listening time. I do listen to rock (Alice in Chains, Tool... ), some rap (Childish Gambino is in heavy rotation right now...), some electronic stuff, (M83, Daft Punk, MGMT, Air...) but no metal or country.

I want to hear the voices clear and crisp. I want to have tight accurate and low bass, not boomy, sloppy, loose or "fake" deep, but accurate. The mids are probably where I want the amp to shine the most with the acoustic stuff. Soundstage as big as it can get without sounding fake or weird.

Anything else I'm forgetting? Besides not being able to buy them all?!?!?!

Um.... lets see. I have (almost) every Dave Matthews live album ever released, and all the studio stuff. I would say that acoustic music makes up 75% of my listening time. I do listen to rock (Alice in Chains, Tool... ), some rap (Childish Gambino is in heavy rotation right now...), some electronic stuff, (M83, Daft Punk, MGMT, Air...) but no metal or country.

I want to hear the voices clear and crisp. I want to have tight accurate and low bass, not boomy, sloppy, loose or "fake" deep, but accurate. The mids are probably where I want the amp to shine the most with the acoustic stuff. Soundstage as big as it can get without sounding fake or weird.

Anything else I'm forgetting? Besides not being able to buy them all?!?!?!

Thanks -

-

And to answer your question.... $650/$700 MAX.. And that's pushing it. The WAF is low on this...

You might want to looking into an amp that will help lighten the HD650 then, I'm listening to both my DT880s and HD650 right now, and to be honest, I prefer acoustic music on the DT880s. I'm not saying they're bad on the HD650, its just that when I listen to acoustic I tend to try to just listen to the instruments (I'm a guitar player) so I don't focus much on the vocals.

For live acoustic (meaning just guitars really) the HD650 is a bit warm. The guitars are bit meshed together. However, I enjoy the studio version much more on the HD650 than the DT880. Its really engaging and fun to listen to.

You could always tube roll and try to find the right sound for you, but that will be through trial and error.

I guess the best example that I can think of, is that the HD650 with the Valhalla makes John Mayer's Strat in slow dancing in a burning room sound more Les Paul like (at least to me). That is what I guess the warm feeling is best described from me.

But I analyze music a bit differently from people so that's the best I can really give on my input lol I would suggest if you can, try to audition different amps! I would probably lean towards a more neutral to bright amp to pair with the HD650, especially for acoustic. I think I kinda understand now what people mean when they say the HD650 are a bit warm.

Any recommendations as to where I can purchase replacement pads for these phones? The stock velours are rough and irritate my skin pretty badly. I wouldn't mind other materials like pleather or leather and such.

Just finished my Dynalo + Sigma 22 and I must say that with proper amplification HD650 is not dark or veiled. Sure, it is darker than say HD600 or HD800 but above all I find it neutral. Also the midbass hump lessens as the amp gets a tighter grip on the diaphragms.

Compared to my E10 on Dynalo these seem to be completely different headphones.

At least until I accidentally hooked the amp to the PSU with reversed polarity...